LOLs and Awws are in store for you this week, my dear readers. I hope you’re staying out of the heat and curling up with an icy drink and a great book this summer. These two books are great to read and pass on to a friend, and I keep copies to give to people looking for a pick-me-up. Plus, with titles like Notaro’s, how can you resist reading it?

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There’s A (Slight) Chance I Might Be Going To Hell by Laurie Notaro

If you’ve ever left a town where you were the belle of the ball in your group of friends for a place where no one gets your sense of humor, style choices, or lack of grace, then you will fit right in with Maye. This poor girl can’t seem to get anything right. In fact, she seems to take the art making a fool of herself to the next level. At the start of the story Maye moves to a new town with her husband and they both begin a new life with new jobs. But while her husband is finding himself thriving in a new place, Maye hasn’t figured it all out just yet. On top of all the social shenanigans, there’s a sinister mystery surrounding the town’s Sewer Pipe Queen pageant that Maye is on the hunt to solve.

This book is a bit heavy on the similes and pop culture references, WHICH if you’re a Gilmore Girls fan you’re probably used to. The story is definitely silly and will make you giggle throughout (a big plus in my book).

Quote: “Everyone knows there’s only one thing less welcome on a stage than a mime, and that’s a clown, because everyone knows that clowns eat people.”

You’ll enjoy this if: you’re a fan of Scooby Doo-type escapades, you’re a fan of Laurie Notaro’s non-fiction works, and you want to read a giggle-inducing story.

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Love Walked In by Marisa De Los Santos

De Los Santos is a poet, and this fact becomes quite obvious through her melodic turn of phrase that serves to draw the reader into the story. I found Love Walked In to be beautifully told without being bulky. You’ll find yourself reading this book like a poet reads her own piece, pacing myself through the different descriptions while flooring past the others.

In Love Walked In you meet a coffee shop manager, a man in a suit, and a little girl on a mission to find her lost father. The story is crafted artfully enough to keep things interesting, but it’s not so convoluted as to be totally unbelievable. The book has a In Her Shoes-quality to it that as a Fan of Weiner’s writing appealed to me. Love Walked In is told from a shifting perspective that I found to be believable through the creation of very distinct narrative voices for the two characters.

Quote: “It was over then, the safe feeling, the not being alone. Over, over over. The word repeated itself in her head with the force of heavy footsteps, something bad coming closer and closer.

You’ll like this if: you’re a fan of Jennifer Weiner, Leah Stewart, and Non-typical “Chick Lit”

Becky Kuitems is a lover of all things books. When she’s not reading, you can catch her doing typical southern belle things like sipping sweet tea and discussing the zombie apocalypse. She is a Florida State alumni with a master’s degree in English Education. If you want to stalk her bookshelf, you can find Becky on Goodreads.

http://www.facebook.com/cwohlschlaeger Cynthia Whelpley Wohlschlaeger

Laurie Notaro is my favorite writer! She is so hilarious. I’ve been an idiot girl my whole life; she makes me feel less alone. Thanks for recommending her. Other idiot girls need to be exposed to her awesomeness! BTW, love your blog!

Rebecca Kuitems

Thank you for your compliment! Hopefully I’ve clued some other Idiot Girls in

Marianna

Heck yeah Laurie Notaro! Idiot Girls unite!

http://www.facebook.com/lekosta Dave Wu

Both sound like awesome reads! I recently read another book that you guys might like as well. It’s called Cameo by Tanille. The site is CameoNia.blogspot.com if you want to check it out

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